The present invention relates generally to multi-mode, multi-functional electronic devices and, more particularly, to an improved method and construction for tracking the total usage time of such a device and for tracking the usage of features and components of such a multi-mode, multi-functional electronic device such as an electronic timepiece.
Multi-mode, multi-functional electronic devices having manually activated switches and an integrated circuit programmed to invoke predefined features in response to the activation of at least one of the manually activated switches are well known. For example, multi-mode electronic timepieces are known which include a dial or display, manually activatable switches (referred to as crowns or pushers), and an integrated circuit. The electronic timepiece may have multiple operating modes. For example, in a digital, multi-mode, electronic timepiece, the operating modes may include a time-of-day (TOD) mode, a chronograph (CHRONO) mode, an alarm setting (ALARM) mode, a countdown timer (TIMER) mode, and an alternate time zone (T2) mode. Generally, one of the pushers is activated to change from one operating mode to another. Another one or more of the pushers may be activated during setting functions to change information being exhibited during a currently activated operating mode.
Examples of such multi-mode, multi-functional electronic timepieces include commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,565, issued Apr. 21, 1998 to Cuinet et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,188 issued Jan. 01, 1991 to Thinesen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,773 issued Nov. 8, 1988 to Houlihan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,864 issued Oct. 25, 1988 to Houlihan; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,784 issued Aug. 11, 1981 to Horan. Exemplary setting functions for the multi-mode electronic timepieces are described in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,226, issued Sep. 10, 1996 to Lizzi. The disclosure of these commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,742,565, 4,989,188, 4,783,773, 4,780,864, 4,283,784 and 5,555,226 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
As the number of available operating modes and information to be exhibited and set increases, there may likewise be an increase in the desired number of pushers or sequencing thereof to activate the modes and/or to set the information exhibited therein. Further, the increasing number of modes and/or pushers may result in numerous procedural steps to set the information exhibited within the modes of the electronic device.
As can be appreciated, the numerous procedural steps increase the complexity of use and wear on particular components of the electronic device. It follows that it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain simplicity in the device's functioning or sequencing.
Also, it would be advantageous to accumulate information on how consumers use the electronic devices. Firstly, it would be desirable to know the total time the device has been in use by the user. Such time period, by way of example, may start when the user first puts the device to use, may be when the user puts in batteries (if applicable) or may begin when the user activates certain button(s) in a particular sequence for the first time. Thereafter or simultaneously therewith, it would be desirable to know how often various features or functions of the electronic device are used to estimate, for example, the value of the feature to operators of the device. Additionally, it would be desirable to know how often various mechanical components of the device are used to predict, for example, the wear on the components and/or to determine their life. This information, in combination with knowing the actual total usage time of the device, can provide valuable information on the manner of use of the device itself. Such predictions may also permit the determination of the life of the power supply (i.e. a battery) of the device. It would also be advantageous to accumulate data to allow designers, for example, to simplify the operation of the device.
The inventor of the present invention has realized that currently there is no reliable way to achieve the aforementioned and below identified objectives.
Therefore, the present invention provides a construction and a method for reliably determining the usage of various features and/or mechanical components of an electronic device and the total usage time of the device itself, such as for a multi-mode, multi-functional electronic timepiece, without relying upon oral or written operator feedback. In this way, among other things, estimates of the frequency of use and predicted wear on component parts or the device itself may be improved.